Hallows Eve
by melonbreadisfine
Summary: Upon meeting her neighbor Sakura gets the impression of a mysterious boy, locked inside his house for unknown reasons, never coming out... except to see her. Come with me, I promise I won't bite.
1. Chapter 1

Plastic jack-o lanterns cast a forlorn glow upon the remains of a rotting porch; the paint peeling with age and neglect though the pumpkin's grin never wavered. Wax candles burned softly between the teeth, lighting the eyes and triangular nose as well as the cutout eyebrows, raised in mock surprise as the fall winds picked up. The gold and auburn leaves were covered in shadow, masking their color usually so bright and festive with a blackened gloom, but this small observation went unnoticed by a pair of boot clad feet, carelessly dragging muddied soles through several small piles of debris before clambering loudly up a house's weak wooden steps.

A willowy teen set the last of the fall decorations on a collapsed bench, several fake squash and various other painted vegetables, a head of dark maize slipping from the badly woven cornet. Pink hair seemed almost fuchsia in the dim light of orange and purple, Halloween colors attached to a string of Christmas lights. A pocketknife was drawn from inside of her bulky red jacket, swiftly carving a smile into a pumpkin rind the size of her outstretched palm.

It was tradition that each year she go to the neighbors house, badly beaten and storm tossed it stood out in the fairly flashy string of condos, but this meant nothing to the young student, she had done so for the last twelve years and even though a fresh coat of paint was needed she could not be deterred. It had once been vary grand, even now it still had a regal appearance what with the French doors and trimming, but no one else seemed to care for it, the owner nearly never home or else locked inside, and so the holiday décor was left in her less than capable hands. Even during the summer she tried to preserve some of the beauty, planting several strawberry and tomato plants which were left untouched for a month before she picked the over ripe fruit and left it on the doorstep, the tomato's disappeared but the strawberries were still there a week later, bruised and bitter for not having been eaten.

"Uchiha. What a mysterious person must live here, like a vampire out of some black and white horror film."

The mailbox read the family name clearly, a colored fan beneath the spidery writing, but this was all she knew of the person who called the deteriorating mansion home. No car was parked in the driveway, she had never noticed until she overhead her parents dinner gossip, "How does he get about," they would say, "There isn't a buss in these parts."

"Maybe whomever it is as handsome as a boy from the storybook's and locked away against his will by an evil step-father…"

At this she had to laugh. It was true she had spent most of her childhood on paper, wishing for adventure to come knocking but always too afraid to search for it. Perhaps this is what drew her to the ramshackle home, the smell of a good story behind the pungent mildew. When preparing dinner she would always set aside a plate of food, left with instructions to microwave on the dust coated doormat, during summer a container of iced tea, and when flu season came a get well card just in case, and though she had never gotten a reply it still made her smile to see the dirtied dishes placed back carefully on the doorstep.

A slice of minced pie was left already cold near the completed decorations. Hopefully he would find it in the mess of orange and black. Brushing off the crumbs on her tailored skirt Sakura stood smoothing the creases in it's lining before giving a last look at the dark windows. And what she saw shocked her…

A pair of crimson eyes staring back. Paled features formed a blank yet beautiful expression, one of both mild hatred and compassion present at the same time, like a marble statue of Adonis glaring at the window pane between them. The intake of breath whistling through her partially opened mouth came as a frozen stream of air, she then dumbly raised her hand in a small wave and the smile that spread across his placid face brought bitter chills.

'Don't be rude, if you run everything you worked on building for years will come crashing down, don't run, don't be rude.'

"Can I help you?"

"I-I brought… you, well you were, I never meant… no I…"

A tall thin stretched boy was now standing where the apparition had been; no they were one in the same, both pale beyond compare and with unmistakable crimson irises. The faint smell of cinnamon aftershave clung to his exposed neck, the rest covered in a black jacket and rather mangled pair of jeans, wet hair slicked back, save the stray bangs framing his chin.

"More pie? With the way you've recently been feeding me I'm bound to gain some weight, especially since I don't get out much."

The plate was balanced in his left hand and Sakura realized his other was outstretched, beckoning her to follow past the forbidden threshold she had wanted to cross her whole life.

"Come, I won't bite. I never got a chance to thank you before, at least let me give you a tour of the inside."

"M-my parents, I should tell them…"

Hesitant as ever she drew back for a second before reconsidering, she didn't need anyone's consent to enjoy an evening and apparently the frown on the archangel's face meant he agreed.

"W-well never mind. Thank you for the hospitality."

And then she was on the inside, swallowed by mothballs and the smell of furniture polish. The deadbolt on the door clicked behind her, several chains finishing the job.

"I appreciate my privacy," he explained nonchalantly crossing the elegant room towards a grand piano which he caressed with the back of his hand, a sudden scowl marring his features.

"I apologize, let's continue to the kitchen, shall we?"

"S-sure."

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Colorful shadows danced across the dining table's sleek surface, the affect of several stain glass windows, which lined the cramped kitchen, a simple touch of glamour in an otherwise plain room. The boy, who had introduced himself as Sasuke Uchiha, was currently washing the discarded Tupperware from the half eaten pie, hands lathered in dish soap, he looked like a god from a Greek mythology book, a Zeus or more like a Hades swathed in polyester black.

"Where is it that you go to school?"

Over the last hour and a half the two had made polite conversation, it seemed as though they were warming up to each other but always there was a small amount of apprehension on Sasuke's part and a hint of fear on Sakura's. The pair didn't seem to want to dig very deep into each other's personal life but easily this set of mind was starting to slip.

"Cranbrook High, home of the socially impaired."

The boy snorted, "You're jokes seemed more funny while I was eating," he drawled, a smirk gracing pale lips as his guest let out a huff of contempt and mock offense.

"Where do you spend your five days of the week then?"

Sasuke looked genuinely amused as he answered, waving his hands about in wild gestures.

"Why here of course, seven days actually, unless I need to go grocery shopping which is rare thanks to you. I stopped attending when I figured the curriculum would be worthless in later years, and I'm glad I did, you make it out to be something like a living hell."

At this they both let out a peel of quite laughter, all before apprehension melting away into the growing dusk.

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"A-are you sure this is ok Sasuke?"

The befuddled teenager was grasping in her right hand a stained bronze key the size of her pinkie finger; slim like a small sliver of tarnished gold, shining in the glow of the surrounding pumpkins. The fall cold made her cheeks blush pink, but they darkened as he intently pressed his gift into her palm.

"I'm afraid that over the last couple years I've been giving you somewhat of a cold shoulder, please except my apology and visit more often. Dropping out of school has its disadvantages, it gets lonely on autumn days such as this."

Sasuke had an elegant tongue, like someone from out of a Shakespeare novel, turning daily conversation into a poetry reading.

"Sure, how about a day from now."

"How about tomorrow."

Sakura was slightly surprised by his aggressive tone but agreed readily and departed with the empty container in which she had earlier placed the desert, but before entering her home she turned to find that Sasuke had vanished and the house was reduced to a pitch dark shadow with not but the small light from her house to make out the windows, even so she could still see his red eyes, even if they were only in her mind.


	2. Chapter 2

"… _**don't you see? Beauty was the beast all along."**_

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The first signs of winter trickled like chilled honey through an open window, waltzing gracefully along the egg white curtains before settling, a blanket of numbing cold pressed gently against the bedding, as dawn began to break. Frost leaked through the folds of duvet, waves of sea foam green within ensnared limbs, slowly pealing away like a Poinsettia's leaves, hesitant when met by the bitter cold.

'Morning… its… morning.'

A dull pain began to make itself known within the layers of warm clothing, a sharp edge protruding from underneath the soft flesh of Sakura's back. A smooth copper object was plucked from beneath the bed sheets, glistening in the autumn light; a bronze flame alighted at the tips of her fingers. Sleep glazed eyes began to focus on the shape, jagged and slick, a bruised key.

"S-Sasuke!"

Yesterday's events came in a flood to her already clouded mind, filling like a wine yet to rich to drink. An aching sensation traveled up the back of her skull, temples throbbing, the fragile gift slipping from her fingers as the pillow met her head and the world spun before turning a deepened shade of black.

"Eyes."

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It started as a soft glow, dull, almost gray, something you might expect to see in a black and white movie, blurred as if looking into a pool of steaming water, everything deeply distorted. Then, as suddenly as it came, the light flickered and sighed before fading into the surrounding blackness, and there was nothing, there was no one. A sound similar to white noise rose and fell in giant waves, Sakura almost believed it to be screaming but that couldn't be for there was no one in this desolate place save herself. Deep in the subconsciousness of her mind she knew all this to be a dream, nothing in reality could be so dark and oppressive, so… alone.

'_Cry out, cry out until somebody comes and wakes you, takes you away from this place, let your throat go raw, do it before the nightmare comes!'_

_The panicked voice inside her mind let out a shrieking wail._

'_To late, to late, here it comes, no, no, I can't stay, we can't stay!'_

_Ice enclosed itself around her whitened throat; no it was hands, wringing her like a damp cloth until she fell limp, arms aquardly embracing her dying body in a subtle caress. Soft moans escaped Sakura's pursed lips before transforming into a fragile scream, quickly stifled by another's violent mouth in what could only be a forced kiss, a forced excuse for silence. Just let it come. It seemed then as if time dragged on, an eternity spent in this hostile stranger's lap until the light from before, still a lukewarm glow, overwhelmed the couple._

"_Then this is the end, I bid you a good night Ms.Haruno, rather a good morning."_

_The presence was then gone and Sakura found herself alone once more until the warmth of her bedding began crawling up her arms and her bedroom began materializing around her. _It was once again reality.

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Edit: Wow, a lot of people are commenting on how short this chapter is (and I do apologize) but this was **just** a filler chapter. I felt I had been neglecting the story altogether so I decided to add a little something in as compensation. The other chapters will be much, much longer but please, I would appreciate the comments to be about the story, not so much the length.


	3. Chapter 3

"**They aren't real, I heard you say.**

**But in my heart is where they'll stay.**

**And as long as to the dream I resist**

**They will in my mind always exist."**

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"E-excuse me?"

Sakura cradled the phones receiver to her ear, gingerly stirring spoonfuls of browned sugar into her oatmeal, watching as the sweet steam began to rise, translucent against the white washed walls. Morning sun danced across the delicate embroidery of the tablecloth, casting palm-sized rainbows against the surface of her small meal, a cup brimmed with chilled milk and spiced oatmeal.

"I'm sorry sir but whatever you're selling, I'm not interested. Your company called us last week, we already have enough magazine subscriptions."

The phone was quickly returned to its place, a corner of the kitchen riddled with old grocery lists and a small stainless steel toaster, while Sakura irritably skimmed through the newspaper, bored with the usual political articles and adds of sales price furniture. In-between the different sections was a sandwiched flyer, headline reading, 'Mysterious Killings' in bold red ink. It was a statement issued by the police a month ago when the curfew was instated, men and women being found dead all across town, a serial killer's work no doubt.

The papers were swept into a neat pile before being dumped carelessly in the old recycling basket by the door, left for trash day, which would not be for another week. The since dried oatmeal was scrapped into the sink's disposable drain and the dishes coated with lemon soap, mornings small tasks coming to a close. The phone broke through the peaceful silence, almost as if demanding attention, eventually silenced by the click of the answering machine but no message came.

'Damn salesmen, don't know when to give up.'

Sakura departed, preparing herself for work, but while she was being preoccupied with clothing and lotion she failed to notice that the answering machine had begun to blink red, someone had indeed meant her to hear them.

"Sakura, listen, I'm not a salesman. It's Sasuke, you're neighbor? I'll call at a better time then."

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"Ino, wait, wait!"

The rapping of spiked heels against concrete echoed through the somewhat empty streets of downtown Konoha, curfew rendering the city deserted during late hours such as these. Sakura was dressed for the autumn cold but her companion, a tall, blonde haired girl, had brought nothing to block the sharp winds and was hurrying ahead, eager to bask in the warmth of her own home.

"Stop! Ino, we can't get separated, not nowadays!"

This made the teen slow, a look of surprise and fear marring her usually calm features, no one liked to talk about the murders, even the young and careless. Suddenly the buildings about them seemed to turn to shadow and every figure they could make out formidable. Quickly the pair returned to each other's sides, hands grasping at the other, pride and sense forgotten.

"T-Thanks Forehead, you startled me!"

"Let's just go home, Ino P-Pig."

Finally after what seemed to be years they came to the crossroad where the two would split, something both dreaded profusely. Stalling Ino began complaining of the extra hours they had put in at The Ramen Bowl, manager Tsunade being unfair in taking the day off. Topics began to run thin though and both bid each other goodnight before bustling on their own way, panic biting at their heals.

'Oh no, the cars not in the driveway! Where are my parents, where?'

The Uchiha house stood formidably, a tall castle of black, but yesterday's admiration was gone, she had been safe, now she was alone. Beyond, the lights of her house were dim, indeed no one was there.

Dread and adrenalin coursed through her body, feet turning numb with the force of her stride, she was about to bolt, race to the comfort of her own doorstep, but something made her stop.

A light flickered in the window of her bedroom, not enough to be noticeable when entering from the other direction, like a candle or flashlight, dim, casting not but a thin outline. Suddenly the figure of a man became visible, standing by her closet, by her door, crouched in waiting.

"Oh… God."

Suddenly instinct overcame her and she found herself beating blindly on a nearby door.

"Sasuke! Sasuke! God, please, open up!"

She glanced at her room for a moment and let out a desperate scream realizing the person was now gone, the door ajar.

"Sasuke, help, he's coming!"

Then there was warmth, a familiar smell, and two firm arms encasing her. Footsteps echoed close behind but already the door was being shut. Already the person, whomever it was, was to late, Sasuke was with her, he was holding her. The relief was unimaginable; the feeling of the boy so close brought the most intangible joy.

"S-Sasuke, I'm sorry, Sasuke thank you, thank you."

She felt herself sobbing and she felt the floor lift from beneath her feet, she felt the cotton of his shirt, and she felt her tears being wiped away.

"Don't cry, I'm here, don't cry."

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"**Oh, the years we waste and the tears we waste**

**And the work of our head and hand**

**Belong to the woman who did not know**

**(And now we know that she never could know)**

**And did not understand."**

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Edit: Yes, it is somewhat short but I have posted two chapters in two days and in all honesty I thought it better left with her in his arms. When I wrote this I began scaring myself silly (I'm weak at heart, sigh,) An apology to those who don't much understand, I was sick today when I wrote this.


	4. Authors Note sorry

Authors Note-

Ok so I vowed to myself never to put an authors note in the middle of any of my stories but this will be both short & easy to follow so please forgive me. I think a lot of people are confused as to where the story is going (much less half the content) so I'm going to clear up some questions. (Oh and please, no comment on how much of a drag this is, I realize that and again, I do apologize, but I don't want to leave my readers in the dark.)

#1. Sasuke- he lives alone, has made slight communication with Sakura over the years (mostly because she makes him dinner), doesn't have a car, and doesn't go to school, has a terrible temper.

#2. Sakura- lives with parents, next-door neighbor to Sasuke, works at The Ramen Bowl, student at Cranbrook High ("Home of the socially impaired."), friends with Ino and a few others introduced later in the series.

#3. Relationship- both are trying to become friends, Sasuke invites her over and gives her a key, Sakura secretly relies on him for comfort, Sasuke has a soft spot for her.

#4. Things not mentioned so far in the story- Sakura is sixteen, Sasuke appears to be seventeen, it was Sasuke who was in her nightmare, when inwardly thinking to herself Sakura's "inner" makes a slight appearance but not as loud as in the anime, Sakura's parent's are on the verge of divorce and her dad is moving out, a killer is on the lose and Sakura was almost caught after not following curfew, and finally Sasuke is… a… (I don't want to spoil it but people are asking)… he's a mythical being (oh come now, that's not so hard to guess. Bite me. Hah, play on words.)

P.s. Again please do **not **comment on how dreadfully boring and stupid this is because I realize this. I just wanted to help the confused people. If it didn't help and I get bloody curses I'll delete it within a week so you don't have to whine.

P.p.s. I have an image of Sasuke on my profile that is somewhat what I'm basing him off of. If you don't like it pretend I never said it. (It's an actual photograph but **not** cosplay so I'm interested to see what you think about it. Some of you may recognize it, I'd like to hear your guesses.)


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